Maryam Naghash Zargaran (Nasim) - Iran

Remember those in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as
if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3, NIV

Sunday, October 5, 2013

Iranian Christian Prisoner in Evin Transferred to Hospital

By Jeremy Reynalds
- Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

IRAN (ANS) -- Maryam Naghash-Zargaran (also known as Nasim), is an Iranian Christian convert currently serving her four year prison sentence in the women's ward of Iran's notorious Evin Prison.

According to a story by Mohabat Iranian Christian News Agency, Nasim, 35, was transferred to Modares hospital on Sept. 29 to be treated for her heart disease. There is currently no more news about her condition.
Nasim was first arrested in the winter of 2013 for "acting against national security." The day she was arrested she received a phone call from the intelligence police in Tehran. She was told to report to them, where she was immediately arrested and kept for three days. Then Nasim was transferred to Evin Prison where she was incarcerated for 19 days. She was subsequently released on bail.

During that time, security authorities searched her house several times, confiscating her personal belongings as well as Christian related material.

Mohabat News said Nasim's trial was at branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Judge Mohammad Moghiseh sentenced her to four years in prison for "propagating against the Islamic regime and colluding to undermine nat ional security."

Her appeal was denied, and Nasim began serving her sentence on July 15 2013.

Mohabat News said the fact of Nasim's name not being published before as being a Christian prisoner in Evin raises speculation that there may be more unknown Christian prisoners in Iranian prisons.

Court's Verdict

For security reasons, some of the names of places and individuals mentioned in the verdict have been omitted.

The court verdict for Nasim, a copy of which was provided to Mohabat News, states that "She converted from Islam to Protestant Christianity through her sister who lives abroad. She is an active member of the Central Assemblies of God Church as well ... She started a house church to proselytize Muslim youth. She is an evangelist herself and is in contact with ... ministries."

Another part of the verdict reads, "She has traveled to Turkey several times with Christian related intentions and stayed at ... a hotel where Christians often assemble f or evangelical purposes. In July, she took 20 women with her on a trip to Ramsar and held classes for them to attract them to Christianity."

It continues, "Additionally, although (Nasim) had signed a disclaimer not to collaborate with the Assemblies of God Church, she went to the church on Sundays and Tuesdays and is still in contact with pastor ... The court considers her actions as supporting the anti security intentions of England and Israel to spread house churches in Iran, and to divert the Islamic society from the way of truth. Based on these allegations, and according to articles 46 and 610 of the Islamic Penal Code, she will be sentenced to four years in prison which includes the time she has been under detention."

Mohabat News said Iranian judicial and security authorities have repeatedly tried to make up false allegations against Christian converts to pressure them and distort public opinion. Most of these false allegations are political (the religious aspect is downplayed to avoid international pressure), a nd argue that house churches are really political groups working as spies for countries such as England and Israel.

Mohabat News said just before President Hassan Rouhani's recent trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly, two Christian woman prisoners, Maryam Jalili and Mitra Rahmati, were released together with a number of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. They had been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison. However, when they were freed, only one month remained on their prison term.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.

39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus said: "I have told you these things, so that in me you
may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world."- Gospel of John 16:33

"Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection...
they were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were put to death by the sword... the world was
not worthy of them." -- Hebrews 11: 37-38.

2012 - January - The Governor General of Tehran Province, Morteza Tamadon, acknowledged in a statement on 4th January that a number of evangelical Christians had been arrested. He referred to their 'corrupting' influence and warned that further arrests are imminent.

2011 - December - Alireza Seyyedian - Alireza a Follower of Jesus since 2006, was arrested and sentenced to six years in December 2011. He is kept in the section 350 of Evin Prison where political prisoners are held.

2011 - September - Mehdi "Petros" Foroutan, a 27-year-old pastor in Iran, was arrested in January 2010 and charged with crimes against national security and blasphemy against Islam. (as of 2/24/2012 - 154 days in Prison)

2011 - May - Behnam Irani, a 41-year-old pastor from Kraj, Iran, was convicted of crimes against national security in January 2011 and sentenced to one year in prison. After voluntarily surrendering to authorities on May 31 to begin his sentence, he learned that he would be forced to serve five years in connection with a previous conviction.

2011 - Rev. Behrooz Khanjani trial hearing on 4/5/2001, He is married with a 6 yo child and has already spent over 8 months in prison

2011 - Rev. Leonard Keshishian, the pastor of the Assemblies of God Church in Isfahan has been arrested

2010 - December 26 - Farshid Fathi - was arrested on Dec. 26, 2010 in a wave of arrests of believers in Tehran and other areas. He was sentenced to six years of imprisonment on March 5, 2012. Farshid's appeal against the charges was rejected in June 2012. He is due to serve the rest of his sentence in Evin Prison.

2010 - October - a young believer has died in Iran after he had been severely beaten by a relative who objected to his strong faith in Christ. He leaves behind a wife and two young children. (Reported by Elam)

2010 - September 23, Nine followers of Jesus were detained in Hamedan, the capital of Hamadan province, on charges of evangelism, which potentially carries the death penalty under strict laws in Iran.
- According to a report by FCNN (Farsi Christian News Network), 4 followers of Jesus Christ from Hamadan were arrested on September 4, 2010. Three of them were released on April 30, 2011, after 8 months in prison (Arezoo Teymouri & her husband Arash Karmanjai and Sonia Keshish Ovanesian). Vahid Abrahemian is still under arrest as of April 30, 2011.

2010 - July 24 at 9:00 p.m., 27-year-old Neshan Saeedi was spending a quiet evening at home with his wife and young daughter when plain-clothes security forces entered his house and arrested him. The security officers searched the home and seized personal belongings such as a computer, CDs containing films of Christian seminars and teachings, Christian books and Bibles, and family photo albums. As of September 09, 2010 - there is no information about the condition of Neshan.

2010 - July 18, 15 Christians detained in Mashhad,Iran's second largest city, remain detained and are "under pressure pressure to recant their faith but are refusing to do so." - (Reported by The Voice of the Martyrs)

2010 - April 29, Ali Golchin (29), has been held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin prison since he was arrested in his home town of Varamin on April 29. After weeks of appealing to the authorities, Ali's father was finally allowed access to him on June 17 -- though they were allowed only 10 minutes together. Ali was released on bail on July 25.

2007 - Mr. Patrick, an Iranian Christian and a member of Church of Kermanshah was arrested in May.

2007 - Several Iranian Christians from Church of Mashhad were arrested in February.

2006 - 14 Iranian Christians from Church of Rasht were arrested in December.

2006 - Iranian secret police began to raid and arrest leaders of the Islamic republic's indigenous "Jesus Only" movement Sunday December 10, arriving unannounced in the early morning hours to search their homes in Tehran, Karaj, Rasht and Bandar-i Anzali.